Pro 3:23-26 | KingComments | STEP | In this section ( ) we hear the exhortation to remain in the way of wisdom, along with the promises that are ours if we listen to the exhortation. But then we must also not lose sight of wisdom for a moment ( ). There is a connection between and . After displaying God’s wisdom in creation, the son is reminded not to let that wisdom vanish from his sight. The wisdom God exhibits in creation is the wisdom needed to live our life to the glory of God. We not only admire wisdom, but have received it ( ). The Lord Jesus is the wisdom of God in every way. He is our life and in Him we have received that wisdom. He may not vanish from our sight. We must keep a constant eye on Him. Then we will keep “wisdom and discretion” in mind. We will always be mindful of what comes our way. When fellow students or colleagues or a brother or sister ask us to participate in something, or go somewhere, we will be guided by wisdom and discretion. We will look to the Lord Jesus, how He would respond to that question. If our eye is constantly fixed on Him and we see how He has kept sound wisdom and discretion, that will mean “life” for our “soul” ( ). True life is the life of Christ that is our portion. It is then seen in our practice. To Paul it was so. He could say that life for him was Christ; he lived only for Him ( ). Such a life is “an ornament to your neck”, the father says to his son and to us (cf. ). Wisdom and discretion are true “ornaments”. We also sometimes say to someone that a certain trait or deed ‘adorns’ him or her. It ‘adorns’ someone if, for example, he helps another or is faithful in his studies or in his work. To these things he is brought by wisdom and discretion. Life is presented in the following verses ( ) as a journey, as a path to be walked. We are all walking a path we have never walked before, of which we do not know how it goes. In doing so, we are guided not by our knowledge of the future, for we do not have it, but by Him to Whom the future belongs. He is powerful to keep us from stumbling and to make us “stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” ( ). This is the life insurance we need, the terms of which are found in . If we do not lose sight of wisdom and discretion, but always keep in mind, we will “walk securely” in our way and will “not stumble our foot” which could make us to fall ( ). We then walk with God. As He shows us the way, He will also protect us on our way. If we go our way in trusting Him in this way, His peace will be in us ( ) and His protective power will be around us ( ). That is what the Lord Jesus demonstrated. He walked with God and went His way unconcerned and was kept from stubbing His foot. He was tempted by satan to challenge God to make true the truth of this word that He would not stumble His foot ( ). Because He was guided by wisdom and discretion, He knew how to resist Satan. Therefore, He did not stumble His foot nor did He fall. Wisdom and discretion not only keep us by day, but also by night ( ). They watch over us not only when we are on the way, but also when we sleep ( ). He who walks with his God can sleep peacefully no matter how stormy things may be in his life. That is why the Lord Jesus slept in a storm ( ). We see that Peter too, in imitation of the Lord, was not anxious when he was in prison and had to fear for his life. He was lying down, chained to two soldiers, and had a pleasant sleep ( ; cf. ; ). That wisdom and discretion give peace and safety does not mean that nothing can happen in our life that turns our life completely upside down. Job experienced this and we know of examples from our own life or from our surroundings. The Lord does not guarantee us that no evil will strike us. He does guarantee that He is there. Here the father tells his son not to fear what might happen ( ; cf. ). There is a saying: ‘A man often suffers most by the suffering he fears and never shows up.’ For those for whom that applies have more to bear than God gives to bear. Fear or dread of what might happen paralyzes us in our life of faith. People in the world are afraid of everything that is happening and may happen, both in their own life and in the world. We know from God’s Word that a lot is indeed going to happen in the world. If we take that seriously, we will also take seriously the reassurance of the Lord Jesus when He says not to let announced events upset us ( ). The believer lives in the midst of “the wicked”, who are always out to destroy those who want to live faithfully according to God’s Word. The fear of them is more real than of anything indeterminate, for “also all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” ( ). But listen to what the Lord Jesus says: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” ( ). The father tells his son how he can be free from thoughts of “sudden fear” or “onslaught” that might befall him. He points him to the LORD as his “confidence” ( ). When he looks to Him, he rises above the threats of fearful possible events of which life is full. There is no more powerful means of delivering us from fears and keeping us free from them than having Christ as our confidence before us. Hope is not uncertainty, but absolute certainty. If the Lord Jesus is our confidence, it means that He is our unwavering support and refuge. If we put our confidence, our expectation, on Him, He will “keep our foot from being caught”. We will then not walk into one of the many snares of sin that are stretched all around us by satan to catch our foot causing us to stumble. Sin can easily entangle us if we do not constantly keep our eye on the Lord Jesus ( ; cf. ). The Lord is our example in this too. When He was on earth, He constantly looked to His God. As a result, He never put His foot in a place where a snare was hidden ( ).

‏ Proverbs 3:23-26

Wisdom Gives Rest

In this section (Pro 3:21-26) we hear the exhortation to remain in the way of wisdom, along with the promises that are ours if we listen to the exhortation. But then we must also not lose sight of wisdom for a moment (Pro 3:21).

There is a connection between Pro 3:21 and Pro 3:19-20. After displaying God’s wisdom in creation, the son is reminded not to let that wisdom vanish from his sight. The wisdom God exhibits in creation is the wisdom needed to live our life to the glory of God. We not only admire wisdom, but have received it (1Cor 2:6-7). The Lord Jesus is the wisdom of God in every way. He is our life and in Him we have received that wisdom.

He may not vanish from our sight. We must keep a constant eye on Him. Then we will keep “wisdom and discretion” in mind. We will always be mindful of what comes our way. When fellow students or colleagues or a brother or sister ask us to participate in something, or go somewhere, we will be guided by wisdom and discretion. We will look to the Lord Jesus, how He would respond to that question.

If our eye is constantly fixed on Him and we see how He has kept sound wisdom and discretion, that will mean “life” for our “soul” (Pro 3:22). True life is the life of Christ that is our portion. It is then seen in our practice. To Paul it was so. He could say that life for him was Christ; he lived only for Him (Phil 1:21).

Such a life is “an ornament to your neck”, the father says to his son and to us (cf. Pro 1:9 ; Pro 3:3). Wisdom and discretion are true “ornaments”. We also sometimes say to someone that a certain trait or deed ‘adorns’ him or her. It ‘adorns’ someone if, for example, he helps another or is faithful in his studies or in his work. To these things he is brought by wisdom and discretion.

Life is presented in the following verses (Pro 3:23-26) as a journey, as a path to be walked. We are all walking a path we have never walked before, of which we do not know how it goes. In doing so, we are guided not by our knowledge of the future, for we do not have it, but by Him to Whom the future belongs. He is powerful to keep us from stumbling and to make us “stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 1:24). This is the life insurance we need, the terms of which are found in Pro 3:21-22.

If we do not lose sight of wisdom and discretion, but always keep in mind, we will “walk securely” in our way and will “not stumble our foot” which could make us to fall (Pro 3:23). We then walk with God. As He shows us the way, He will also protect us on our way. If we go our way in trusting Him in this way, His peace will be in us (Phil 4:7) and His protective power will be around us (1Pet 1:5).

That is what the Lord Jesus demonstrated. He walked with God and went His way unconcerned and was kept from stubbing His foot. He was tempted by satan to challenge God to make true the truth of this word that He would not stumble His foot (Mt 4:5-7). Because He was guided by wisdom and discretion, He knew how to resist Satan. Therefore, He did not stumble His foot nor did He fall.

Wisdom and discretion not only keep us by day, but also by night (Pro 3:24). They watch over us not only when we are on the way, but also when we sleep (Psa 121:4). He who walks with his God can sleep peacefully no matter how stormy things may be in his life. That is why the Lord Jesus slept in a storm (Mt 8:24). We see that Peter too, in imitation of the Lord, was not anxious when he was in prison and had to fear for his life. He was lying down, chained to two soldiers, and had a pleasant sleep (Acts 12:6; cf. Lev 26:6; Psa 4:8 ; Psa 23:2).

That wisdom and discretion give peace and safety does not mean that nothing can happen in our life that turns our life completely upside down. Job experienced this and we know of examples from our own life or from our surroundings. The Lord does not guarantee us that no evil will strike us. He does guarantee that He is there. Here the father tells his son not to fear what might happen (Pro 3:25; cf. Psa 112:7).

There is a saying: ‘A man often suffers most by the suffering he fears and never shows up.’ For those for whom that applies have more to bear than God gives to bear. Fear or dread of what might happen paralyzes us in our life of faith. People in the world are afraid of everything that is happening and may happen, both in their own life and in the world. We know from God’s Word that a lot is indeed going to happen in the world. If we take that seriously, we will also take seriously the reassurance of the Lord Jesus when He says not to let announced events upset us (Mt 24:6).

The believer lives in the midst of “the wicked”, who are always out to destroy those who want to live faithfully according to God’s Word. The fear of them is more real than of anything indeterminate, for “also all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2Tim 3:12). But listen to what the Lord Jesus says: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt 10:28).

The father tells his son how he can be free from thoughts of “sudden fear” or “onslaught” that might befall him. He points him to the LORD as his “confidence” (Pro 3:26). When he looks to Him, he rises above the threats of fearful possible events of which life is full. There is no more powerful means of delivering us from fears and keeping us free from them than having Christ as our confidence before us. Hope is not uncertainty, but absolute certainty. If the Lord Jesus is our confidence, it means that He is our unwavering support and refuge.

If we put our confidence, our expectation, on Him, He will “keep our foot from being caught”. We will then not walk into one of the many snares of sin that are stretched all around us by satan to catch our foot causing us to stumble. Sin can easily entangle us if we do not constantly keep our eye on the Lord Jesus (Heb 12:1-2; cf. 2Tim 2:26). The Lord is our example in this too. When He was on earth, He constantly looked to His God. As a result, He never put His foot in a place where a snare was hidden (Psa 16:8).